Christmas Colors
by eQuasarus
Summary: [AU • Multiple!AU Worlds] Harry comes face to face with a Mirror that takes him to reality, where he finds himself a Gryffindor and that the terror of Voldemort has somehow been eliminated. Can he find a way home to save his own world? [WiP]
1. Colors of Christmas

**Disclaimer:** As with every other writer on I am a mere cheap rip-off from the real thing. (Not that I'm trying to put anyone down.) I am using characters and places created by JK Rowling. No money has passed hands (I can only wish) and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Summary: **Fate gives each his man an opportunity. When Harry Potter comes face to face with a magical mirror it sends him to a place he never dreamed of. A quasi-au, with an interesting twist.

**Announcement:** The main character is the Slytherin Harry – that means the 'twin' or doppelganger is the Harry _we _know. It's sort of confusing, but I'll eventually sort the names out and give the main character a new name to use.

Christmas Colors

• eQuasarus •

Chapter 01

• Colors of Christmas •

Stupid Gryffindors.

The only season where staying indoors was almost a requirement and they had to go and decorate it. It didn't need decoration, the castle looked good as it was. Silent and drab, what more did one need?

Sitting alone on the point near the forbidden forest Harry stared out onto the lake wondering how long he could stand the cold. He _always _pushed himself to see how long or how well he could do something.

Seven long years at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and it was almost over. Only half a year left. Only a few days before everything else would come to an end. His destiny had been manifest already now it just had to work its magic.

An owl fluttered down from the sky bearing a sealed roll. Without a moments pause Harry took it from the owl, sending the creature on its way before carefully breaking the seal. Two charms later he unrolled the parchment and read it slowly.

_A new plan has been devised. You are to arrive at the designated location alone in one hour. Ring twice and then enter. Wait there for further instructions._

There was no name or signature. But, it was not needed, Harry knew who it was from and that was enough. Quickly he dismissed the idea of staying out in the cold and made his way back to the castle, using passages only known to him, to quickly show up at the entrance of the common room.

No one asked him how he moved through the castle so effortlessly. Not anymore at least. They knew the only answer they would receive was a hex or curse he'd picked up recently.

"Hey," a voice spoke from the darkness before he gave the password. For a brief instant, Harry smiled, but the movement was minimal and gone in the same breath.

Turning to the voice, he walked into the blackness of the hallway. "I see my little nymph has returned from her escapades into the darker regions of the wizarding world," he said smirking slyly.

A hand slipped around his waste and he found himself drawn into a deep kiss. When it had ended the woman whispered into his ear enticingly. "Yes, and my slimy little Slytherin needs to take care of me."

"That's unfortunate because I can't. Duty calls you see."

Disappointed the person moved her hands into a more enticing position.

Still, Harry denied her. "Tonight, if there's more time. However, I must prepare. You do know what he'll do to me if I am late? I explained it once."

"Yes I remember," she pouted. "You'll come by my room later then if you come in late?"

Harry nodded and turned back to the common room after a second passionate kiss. An hour later, dressed in beautiful black and green robes, the hood pulled over his head, Harry walked silently down a dark alley in Hogsmeade.

In a deep corner of his mind, somewhere he could easily block, he wondered what was in store for him. By some dark design he'd become entangled in this mess as a child and was never able to completely free himself from it.

The house was small and unkempt, but not much of a surprise to Harry. He was used to that sort of place, and it was better than some of the slums that he'd been sent to. Following each of the instruction to the letter, he found himself standing inside the house in the only room that seemed to exist. In the center of the room was the only object that seemed to decorate the room, a mirror.

Even at a healthy six foot and well built the mirror still dwarfed Harry, easily twice his height and four times his width. It had no borders, but along the outside edge of the mirror, words written in a golden text that seemed burned into the glass itself. Harry could not read all of the words but made out three 'through' and 'looking glass'.

As he approached them mirror he noticed that, curiously, no reflection appeared. Only inches from the mirror Harry stared at it, utterly entranced. The mirror did not touch anything, it floated an inch above the ground waiting for something. The glass itself seemed to be living, it was as if there was a solid coating on top of a layer of water. It lived, it breathed.

Everything inside Harry told him it was dangerous. Somehow, no matter how hard he tried he could not resist reaching out and touching it. His nature dictated that he do everything he could to get himself into trouble.

The very moment he touched the glass a tingling sensation ran down his arm and threw the whole body. Then, a violent tearing feeling filled his stomach and the whole world went black.

•

"Damn those stupid tests," Harry muttered to himself, standing up. The meeting seemed to be a farce for him to be in that room. Whatever reason he had had to be there, it seemed that it was taken care of. No one was showing up even after he'd woken up. His head was pounding as he headed back to Hogwarts and he was irked that things had gone the way they did. Unconsciously he rubbed his left forearm, scratching at an invisible sore.

Once inside Harry noticed that the castle was much livelier than usual. Harry went to investigate. As he entered the great hall, he noticed that the Gryffindors had indeed been busy. The whole hall was filled with the glittering colors of Christmas. A party was in full swing.

Unlike most people, he didn't feel put out for not being invited. He rarely attended parties as it was, even if he was invited; he only came if it was for something important.

"Harry!" a familiar voice shouted, catching his attention. "Don't look so glum, everything's wonderful tonight."

Turning to Tonks with a smile, he grabbed her hand, pulling her away from the rest of the crowd and into a wall. She seemed completely shocked at his action, but did not resist as he pushed her against the wall and planted his mouth to hers.

"Harry?" she asked curiously, as she pushed him off of her. "I thought you told me just the other day that you and Hermione were a couple and there was no changing that."

A cold sensation rolled down Harry's spine as he stared at her. There was something different, something he couldn't pinpoint. "Granger?" he asked, almost spitting the name out. "Why would I like that know-it-all? Always spouting off about some worthless book she's just read."

In an instant, the mystery increased when someone approached the two from behind. "So Tonks, brought a date this time I see," it said cheerfully.

More than just the familiarity was what caught Harry off guard. He turned to see the voice and it seemed as if he were standing in front of a mirror, facing himself.

"Who are you?" Both said in perfect unison. The first, who still had a hold of Tonks, sounded slightly angry while the second still had the cheerful intone, thinking something was funny.

No one around them spoke, simply stared in wonderment. The red head youth who stood next to the second Harry snorted with laughter while everyone else became dead silent. The first Harry smirked at the outburst. He knew the boy, Weasley, and detested him for the way he acted.

Again, in nearly perfect unison they spoke again. "Slytherin, huh?" and "Gryffindor, huh?"

Slightly perturbed, they both continued. "Surely you must be joking. Harry Potter in Gryffindor, that's a real riot." While the second referred to Slytherin in the same manner.

No one was quite sure what was happening, their beloved Harry Potter seemed to have an evil clone. The two circled each other, dropping the hands of the woman they'd held.

Confusion was paramount when a third voice broke in after a minute of the childish antics each showed the other. "Performing a synchronized dance Potter?" it drawled thickly. "Surely you know this is a party, not a talent show."

The first Harry turned, surprised to see the platinum-haired school mate. "But…" he said, his bright green eyes sparkling with surprise. From within his beautiful robes came a wand so quickly no one saw it removed. "You're dead. I killed you…" he faltered, looking around in a panic. Somewhere between the gasps and motion of wands being pulled out, there was little time for thought.

When all was said and done two Harry Potters lay on the ground next to each other unconscious. Their red and green robes forming a perfect compliment to the nearby Christmas decorations.

•


	2. A Swap

Chapter 02

• Swap •

Groaning with immense displeasure at the pain in his head, Harry tried to sit up but found he could not move at all.

When he opened his eyes, he found that there were at least a dozen people standing around his bed. "Who are you?" his doppelganger asked.

Harry, utterly confused that he was staring at himself stayed silent.

The Harry standing, his red robes still brilliantly fitting him, smiled slyly. In the confusion no one had noticed him use a switching spell with this imitation. Though he had no idea what was happening he didn't want to be placed in the position the Gryffindor version of himself was now in.

"I… Hermione and I were running a bit late. When we came to the party I wanted to ask something and I found you with her," the strapped Harry said.

"Slytherin scum," the Harry standing at the end of his bed said. "It's no use lying. Where did you come from? You're definitely not just a Polyjuice copy; the potion would have worn off hours ago."

Confused at what was happening the chained Harry lapsed into silence again. Dumbledore was staring at him from beyond the main group, seeming somewhat startled. Tonks was looking at him almost longingly, but keeping to herself. The rest of the group was discussing what they should do with him.

Something was wrong.

All the tests brought the same conclusion - this Harry was the exact same one as the one standing at the end of the bed. How was it possible? Dumbledore had thought of every single spell that was possible and none came to mind.

While everyone was thinking about how there were two Harry's, the one standing leaned over, as if to examine his duplicate and whispered a spell.

Then, taking a step back he threw up his hands, trying to make it seem like he was loosing his temper and walked out. As he had hoped only one person followed him, Tonks. Hermione seemed to be too enthralled in the mystery to even see Harry moving.

"Tonks," Harry said as she stepped around the corner, he was going to trust her because even though this world was different she didn't seem all that different from his Nymphadora. "I need your help."

His wand held out, behind his back

"You're him, aren't you?" she asked as she stared at him. He could see her muscles tightening as her Auror instincts kicked in. She was quite wary of exactly what he was doing and probably understood what his arm was doing behind his back.

Careful not to raise her suspicion, Harry stepped carefully to one side, getting away from the wall. "Yes, I am not the Harry you know exactly. A mistake has been made somehow and now I'm in this world, this dreadful place where I don't know anyone anymore."

"Why did you kiss me?" she asked before he could say anything more.

He faltered. In his world he'd become very close to Tonks and it was hard talking to her like this. "You and I are together in my world. As I said before I very much dislike Granger along with most of the other Gryffindor scum that walks the halls."

Tonks snickered and Harry could see she was slowly and surely falling into his words, it wouldn't be long before she would trust him. "I need to see Snape right away," Harry said. It wasn't quite true, he wanted to do other things to relieve his tension, but was afraid to push too far too fast and loosing the one person he might be able to rely on at the moment. "That's where I'm headed, please don't tell the others. That Harry won't remember his own name until tomorrow, at least give me that long to figure things out."

Cautiously he paused, awaiting a response. It was going against everything that Tonks held close, but then, even in this world she was very attached to him. He wanted her to trust him enough not to tell Dumbledore which was hard for her, so he decided to do something. "Ask me something," he said quietly. "Something you'd tell your lover and no one else."

Concentrating he focused on her as she thought. One thing he had learned after a great deal of study sessions spent with Snape was that he was quite good at Occlumency and didn't need a wand for it. He knew the answer even before she asked, her mind was like an open book even with the safeguards the Aurors had put up. He only did it because he wasn't sure if this world was as close as it seemed, and he wasn't sure if he'd know the answer.

"It's about Christian isn't it?" he asked before she asked the question.

"About the night he made you..." Harry paused, waiting to see if that was enough. It didn't seem to be. "When he asked you to change into Sandra while you two went at it."

Tonks gasped and sniffled. "I never told anyone," she said tears dripping from her cheeks.

Taking the chance Harry stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, waiting while she cried. She never cried long, but he knew the few moments she did she was completely broken. "It's alright," he whispered. "You don't know what happened to him, do you?"

Tonks shook her head against his arm and he smiled inside. It was easier than he'd first thought, he actually like it here a little. People didn't know him here, he didn't have the same reputation to keep up. "Don't ever think about him again, he got his just reward, believe me."

That was it. She stopped crying and her head raised. Harry had already leaned forward into her and locked lips before she was able to say anything. The kiss was more passionate than any he remembered before and he had a hard time breaking away.

"Your quarters, do they have the same password as your third cat?" Harry asked. She nodded. "Good, I'll meet you in them later, I will not be staying in the Gryffindor common room tonight. That place is absolutely detestable."

Leaving Tonks Harry disappeared into the walls, making his way to the dungeons.

"Severus," Harry said as he pushed in the door to the potions room, where the potions master spent most of his time. "We need to talk."

Snape looked up with the most detestable look Harry'd ever see come from the man. It was obvious that in this world the two had not overcome the rift that was between them. "Let's get something straight. What my father did to you was wrong. I am not my father, it's simple. Do you understand?"

Apparently surprised beyond all words he didn't move as Harry stepped right up to his desk. "In my world you and I settled our differences in a dual. I'd be quite happy to pay you back right now if I had the time, however I do not. Now," he said pulling up his sleeve. "would the Harry _you_ know have this?" he asked, revealing the tattoo on his forearm.

It was a mistake, but one Harry had made preparations for. Snape's wand was out faster than he remember him drawing, but his retardo spell had no effect on Harry. "I already cast a charm to throw it off, one you taught me. Do _not _underestimate me."

Pausing to think of a better plan Snape pulled down his wand and his eyes flickered between Harry's eyes and his hands. "You seem awful powerful for a seventh year student," he sneered.

"Thanks you to you and your training. When I was initiated as a Death Eater you were assigned as my mentor because of the obviousness. There was no suspicion if I were to take extra classes from you. I am Harry Potter. Not the one you know, but your potion assured you and everyone in the room that both of us were the same person."

"Read my mind," Harry growled. "I'll let you in this once to see, you're the only person who's ever gotten in before."

Something in Harry gripped his heart, and quickly he took a step back just before the door open. Hermione's head appeared in the door, "Professor?" she asked cautiously, "have you seen Harry? He seems to have just disappeared."

Snape's grin turned nasty and for a split second Harry thought he was going to be given up. He took another step back so Granger couldn't see him if she turned her head and readied his wand.

"No, I don't believe I've seen Mr. Potter since the Infirmary. Now, please, I have work to do. If I see Mr. Potter I'll send him your way," Snape barked. Hermione turned and the door shut behind her.

"Please," Harry smirked as he took a step forward. He had always relied on his feelings and thankfully they had led him in the right direction in this upside down world. "Call me Harry. Really, I hate the formality of Mr. Potter."

"Potter, sit your ass down and be quiet. If you're lying, and believe me I'll be able to tell, you will not be getting up from that seat."

Obediently Harry seated himself and cleared his mind. He was going to allow Snape access, but not _that _much access. A meeting of the order, a few training sequences, and perhaps the ritual in which he became a Death Eater.

•


	3. Servants

Chapter 03

• Servants •

Severus Snape tried to push a little further into Harry's mind than he was willing to give and when the spell ended it was Severus who was floored and Harry who was breathing hard. "You're certainly just as much of a bastard in this world as you are in the other," Harry grinned maliciously. "I do hope that was enough of my memories unless you want to take another try at it. I'll be sure to find out exactly what happened different in my world."

"What the hell do you want Potter?" Severus asked as he tried to pull himself up from the floor.

An eerie looking grin came over Harry. "There are a lot of things I want Severus, and the least of which is Draco Malfoy's head on a platter. He doesn't seem to be as bad in this world, but I might as well alleviate myself of having to worry about him before things get bad. Other than that I just want to go back to wherever it is I came from. I despise being revered and I took care of that a long time ago."

"A Potter with a proper attitude?" Severus jeered and found a wand at his throat before he could blink, he heard a slight whisperings of a spell and he shivered involuntarily. Still, nothing happened and after a moment he relaxed understanding it was a threat, and this new Potter wasn't going to kill him yet.

"Don't get me wrong Severus, you and I may have a vague friendship where I'm from, but there are certain lines you don't cross and that's one of them. Never speak about my parents or any part of my family otherwise you'll know exactly how good I am at the Crucio curse. I have after all been forced to practice it to insure I'm a proper Death Eater. You know all about that, don't you?" Harry said with a sneer, still holding the wand to Severus' throat. "If you understand and you're not going to try and get me back simply nod."

Severus' head bobbed up and down slightly and Harry dropped his wand, and then turned away, summoning a chair to sit on. "So, let me tell you exactly what happened and we can go from there," Harry said as he took a seat. He went over exactly what had happened from the moment he received the letter. He hadn't had any true contact in months so he was sure that everything had happened since he got his letter, leaving out the interaction with Tonks.

"Describe the mirror again," Severus said, deep in thought but watching Harry warily.

"I can do better," Harry muttered and tapped the wand he held to his head. In a moment a bright flash lit the room and Severus found himself staring at a wall of memories, they flashed about quickly finally slowing down as the picture approached a dingy old house in Hogsmeade. There was a hand that reached forward and knocked twice and then the door opened and the picture followed. The mirror in the room was the most beautiful mirror Severus had ever seen and he stared at it as it floated over the ground, barely moving.

Severus stepped out of his chair and almost fell forward as he moved to the wall. "It's impossible," Severus said, trying to reach into the picture and touch the mirror.

The image dissipated and Severus turned, wide-eyed to Harry. "The glass was living you say, it flowed?"

"Seemed to me that way, I'd have almost thought it was a liquid if it wasn't hard. Why, do you know what it is?"

"No," Severus muttered, "But I've heard of a potion that bridges worlds. It's suppose to simultaneously be a liquid a gas and a solid, but until now I hadn't thought it was more than a myth. Even potions can't have more than two forms at the same time."

"Well apparently it is," Harry muttered and stood. "Now go figure out what it is so I can go back home," he snapped and started towards the door. "I have some things to take care of," he grinned maliciously.

"Hold it," Severus growled, "just because in your world we're ... _friends,_" he said, spitting as if he'd eaten something foul. "Doesn't allow you to order me around here."

"No," Harry answered as he opened the door, "but the adstringento curse I've put on you makes for an excellent slave. Really Severus I expected better of you. Well I'll remove it as soon as you've gone and figured out how to get me back. I'm afraid you won't be able to harm me or do anything against my will until I let you off the hook and that means telling anyone that you're bound to my will."

"Oh and Severus," Harry said as he walked out the door, turning one last time before he closed it behind him. "I don't care if it's in this world or my world. _Don't _underestimate me. You do know exactly how complicated that curse is, don't you?"

He snapped the door shut behind him and wandered down the hall feeling quite full of himself. He'd never actually been able to catch his Severus off guard like that, it certainly made things easier while he was here. He hadn't planned on using it at all but the poor man had just been oozing with malice and that made the thought even happier. Perhaps he'd have a talk with _this_ Harry and get some of his priorities straightened out.

Then again, this Harry was a Gryffindor and dating the worst of the Gryffindors. What could he possibly be thinking, in fact he wondered if he should right that first thing. He wasn't about to go to the towers though but then, she probably wasn't there anyway.

First though, he definitely had to go work off some steam and he knew where he was going to be able to pull that off. "Pepper," he told the portrait as he walked into the teachers quarters. Tonks certainly wasn't a teacher, but she was in training, and that meant she stayed at the castle.

The door opened up and he saw Tonks laying on the bed sobbing. He cursed his luck and figured he probably shouldn't have brought up old memories. "It's alright," he said when he laid next to her, holding her against him.

She pushed into his chest and her sobs continued. He hated it when she was so... vulnerable, it made things difficult. "You're not the same," she said, sobbing, "it's just not the same. I want him, but you're not him and you're not even staying around are you?"

That struck him as odd, the Tonks he knew was only vulnerable about her past, anything that was more recent she'd gotten over and was never so blatant about it. Still, it felt good to hold her even if she was soaking his robes, and that was enough.

Two hours later a knock on the portrait woke Harry, he'd been feeling much nicer until it happened and he sat up, angry at whoever had woken him. Tonks was asleep next to him, dressed, which was unusual, but he found he was dressed to and he stood wondering how that had happened. Immediately he noticed he was wearing red robes and the whole scene jerked him back to the reality of what had happened. "Bloody Hell," he said under his breath and took a deep breath.

The knock came again and he heard someone's voice faintly beyond. "I know you're in there Harry, you should have taken the map with you," it said angrily. Harry blinked, wondering what map the girl was talking about and why he should have taken it. He composed himself, reading the topmost thoughts on her mind. She was angry with him because he was in the same bed as Tonks.

First Harry had the idea of opening it in nothing but his boxers, surely she'd seen the other him in less and it didn't bother him a bit. She certainly was a bit better looking than her counterpart in his world. But then upon being reminded of that he wondered if she was as smart and bookwormish as her counterpart. If she was the same it might be a good idea to use her to get him home. He grinned and then the smile faded again as she opened up the door, changing to a look of blankness.

"Yes Hermione," he said, trying as best as possible to say her name right and with some care to it. "What's wrong?" He asked apparently surprised and distressed, when he saw she was angry.

"You know exactly what the hell's wrong Harry," she replied and threw the map at him. "I _saw_ you. You told me you wouldn't do it, you swore to me that there were no feelings but then you go and shag her as soon as soon as some doppelganger shows up to give you ideas."

"Shag?" Harry coughed, opening the door wider. "Please keep it quiet, she's not feeling well right now. Apparently my Doppelganger got her all worked up that we might have a chance, I came over to make sure she was alright. I was tired after what happened and I fell asleep, nothing happened, really," he said smoothly and proud at how easily he said it. "Come in if you like, she's all dressed even and my robes are still a bit wet from her tears. I swear nothing happened."

Granger stepped into the room and looked over at Tonks' bed where she was still sleeping. "She really loves you, you know," Granger said quietly. "Just as much as I do. I think it's hard on her to see us together."

The anger she'd had had already faded and Harry grinned as she was looking away, this woman was so easy to play with. The people in this place trusted him _way_ too much. "Let's go," he said quietly as he drug his hand along hers, grabbing her half clenched fingers with hers and tugging her gently. She turned to him smiling and followed him out. "You haven't done that in months," she said after the door to Tonks's room had been closed.

"I just felt like doing it," Harry said as innocently as possible. "You don't mind do you?" he added, continuing to play the proper Gryffindor to a tee. It was a wonder that they ever got any pussy at all he thought with a smirk that was misinterpreted by Granger.

"Of course it's alright," she said, pulled him close to her. "Do you still want to get your present?" she asked, and almost seductive enough to gives Tonks a run for her money. This world certainly was different.

"I need to check something," Harry said, as he shook his head. He was trying to stay on this Tonks's good side, he needed her at least for a while and it wouldn't do for her to catch him with Granger. "Can I see the map?" he asked, hoping that he was assuming correctly, that it was a magical map of some sort, and if Granger had somehow tracked him with it then it must show Hogwarts and at least him.

Granger pulled the lump of parchment from her pocket and handed it to him. He opened it to find it empty. "See," she said calmly, "I made sure that it was turned off so that Severus doesn't get his hands on it again and know everything about us."

Harry nodded, as if that's the reason he'd asked to check it. He blinked and pulled a thought off the top of her head then pulled out his wand. "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good," he said, tapping the map lightly. Ink flowed from a central point in the map, filling it in until it looked like a floor plan of the castle. He had a hard time not gasping when he saw the names on it. Apparently _this _Harry had access to some things he didn't. This map would certainly be useful, he wondered where it had gone.

His eyes traced the hallways until they came to Granger and him standing still in the corridor, then they moved beyond to his doppelganger in the infirmary. In neat letters written next to them was the name Harry Potter. He scanned it again, seeing corridors he knew were hidden and passageways he'd used to steal out of the school. This map was a great find and he'd have to make sure to discover its prior whereabouts before he returned home. He could copy it of course but that would take days of examining it to duplicate all the spells, not to mention if the brewing any potions that might be needed.

He started to fold it up but Granger gave him a serious look and he paused, smiling. Gently he tapped the wand and whispered the next set of words that were on the top of her mind. "Mischief managed."

"...see he's safe and sound in the infirmary." Granger said. "I checked that too. Let's go get something to eat, I'm starving, really the party was only just getting started. Why did that person have to go and show up and ruin everything?"

Harry shrugged. He wasn't sure exactly why he was brought – or sent – whichever it was to this place and it certainly wasn't by choice. 'Let's go see if we can find out how he got here," Harry said as inconspicuously as possible. "If he's me maybe he's from a alternate reality. He did say he was Slytherin, maybe something happened to him that made him darker than me."

The words certainly got the right reaction from her, in fact she seemed eager to go, she almost dragged him halfway to the library before pausing. "You know, you're the one that got me from coming here every night," she said oddly, "and now you're the one that's getting me to come back here."

Harry stared at her for a few seconds, not sure she was telling the truth, but he got what he wanted and smiled back before she noticed he was reading her thoughts. "No one could ever get you away from the library," he said with a fake laugh. "You know that. Besides, this is about me this time, it's a little more important than finding out the answer to every question asked on the N.E.W.T.s. Granger turned bright pink and Harry knew he'd gotten everything right.

It was a good thing that he was always suspicious, it was a survival trait and a good reflex, especially now. He wasn't sure what had given Granger the idea that he wasn't himself, but he had to watch it. Maybe his doppelganger was due for a visit tonight along with another strong confusion spell. If only that damned healer wasn't there all the time.

He definitely planned on returning to Tonks's room later tonight after Granger had fallen asleep in the library and this time she wouldn't have the map to tell her where he'd run off to. She certainly had the brains for Ravenclaw and it was obvious that in this world she was a bit cunning too, though not nearly enough – she hadn't exploited her ability yet, but it was curious to Harry why she'd ended up in Gryffindor in both worlds. In _his_ world she hung out with the Ravenclaws for a while, but that had gotten old and she'd gotten cast out of them. She didn't have any friends at all anymore except for the redheaded Weasley girl... Ginny.

"Should we get Ron?" Hermione asked and then laughed. "You know, I think he might think you'd gone nutters if I told him you were the one that suggested we go to the library.

Another breeze over her mind and Harry laughed too. "Yeah, I know what you mean," he said between false laughs. "We can just leave him be, it's not like he'll want to come anyway," Harry said smoothly transitioning away from the other thoughts.

Severus was standing in the isle of one of the restricted sections and when he caught a glimpse of Harry he sneered with pure hate. "What are you doing here," he asked venomously.

It took some control to keep from pointing his wand at Severus again, but he didn't, in fact he kept a completely calm exterior. Severus was his at the moment and he didn't need to emphasize that fact in front of Hermione. "We're looking for books on alternate worlds," Harry said, smirking behind Hermione. "Hermione thinks there might be something here."

"Don't bother," Snape snapped. "You won't find anything, any of the books that were here are suspiciously missing now. You might want to speak with the headmaster and see if he might know anything, Potter." he added with an evil smirk.

"How would you know that Professor?" Granger asked, showing a particularly nasty streak of anger. It worried Harry that she simply thought to much about things, and he wondered if it had been the right choice to keep her as she was. Maybe back in his world... he could mold her, that was if the damage that had been done over the years wasn't irreparable.

Severus' cold eyes moved from Harry to Hermione and Harry could tell that he didn't like her very much. "The Headmaster mentioned that possibility and I came down here to investigate. I don't want to have two Potters around here to trouble me. One is handful enough for now," he said.

Harry smirked, not caring if Hermione turned to see. It didn't matter really, he was proud of the fact that people didn't like him. Even though he was a golden-boy here Severus didn't like him much and probably wouldn't in any other universes.

There was something that was bothering Harry though, not once in the whole time he'd been in this place had Voldemort's name been mentioned or alluded to other than the mark of the Death Eater he'd shown Severus. Was Voldemort dead? Was it possible that the reason the Harry in this world was a Golden Boy was because he'd somehow managed to defeat the evil wizard?

"Hey," Granger said sort of poking Harry. "You're daydreaming again," she said in front of him. "Is everything alright?"

Glancing around Harry noticed that Severus had disappeared. Blast, he hated when he got too involved with his thoughts. "What if he's from another universe?" Harry said swiftly, trying to give her a good reason, and also get her to give him more information. "Maybe things were different there, maybe he didn't have to deal with V... the dark lord."

"It's alright," Granger said, "You can say it. I've told you before I don't mind, besides we've still got to break Ron of the habit of calling him that. Maybe you're right though, maybe his parents weren't killed and he wasn't raised by your horrid aunt and uncle."

Harry almost choked. He couldn't believe he'd been raised by Petunia Dursley, no wonder he was different. But how the hell had someone raised by the likes of someone like her ended up being a Gryffindor? A Hufflepuff maybe, but a Gryffindor? "What if we could help teach him," Harry said, trying to keep her talking.

"You mean tell him how you did it?" Granger asked. "You haven't told anyone and you're just going to go tell some stranger that you met today. A stranger that cursed you only minutes after seeing you by-the-way. Come on Harry, whatever it is you did is not something I thought I'd ever see you talk about again. If he's from another world where Voldemort's still alive he can take care of it there, don't go putting yourself in danger again, you've done enough."

"But..." Harry said, realizing what she was saying, and also trying to play the proper Gryffindor. They _always _wanted to get into the thick of things without finding out exactly how bad it was before jumping in.

"Shhh," Granger said and pressed her lips to his. Harry didn't respond normally, that would certainly give things away, he was certain that _this_ Harry didn't have a great deal of experience with kissing besides with Granger. She certainly didn't have that much experience. When he did respond he made sure to make it seem awkward and Granger broke away quickly looking at him funny.

"You won't leave it be, will you?" she asked. "You want to go find out if you're right. You're always ruining the mood by trying to save everyone. Leave it be please, at least for tonight. It's not like he's going anywhere, he's restrained magically and there's a silencing charm around him so that no one can hear him screaming again when he wakes up.

Harry swore under his breath and then pulled her a little tighter, feigning a hug, but pulling out his wand. He whispered a spell behind her back as she hugged him and she fainted in his arms. "Bloody Gryffindors and their stupid 'I can take care of everything' attitude," he said as he laid her down in the seat. The librarian Madam Pince was organizing some books and not paying attention at all.

Kneeling in front of Granger he whispered a strong sleeping spell so she wouldn't wake for at least the rest of the night, probably not until tomorrow evening. By then he hoped he'd have everything figured out. She wasn't going to be any help if all she did was follow him around, it was easier to just get her out of the way now. He wondered if he should take her and hide her away, but that didn't sound like such a good idea, might bring suspicion to him. He grabbed a few books and sat them in front of Granger, the positioned one open on her lap. Checking over her one last time he left the library swiftly. If Voldemort was dead he needed to know how, and immediately.

•


	4. Differences

Chapter 04

• Differences •

The removal of the confusion spell took a long time, and he had to wait until the matron had left her post for a while. Luckily there was a blind surrounding Harry's bed, so no one would see him, all Harry had to do was put up a silence barrier to keep her from looking in on him.

When the Gryffindor Harry finally opened his eyes he still seemed slightly confused. "Let me sum it up," Harry said as he watched himself look around in confusion. "From what I've been surmised through the interactions I've had in the past few hours I have somehow been transported into this reality, it's a completely different world than the one I grew up in."

The Gryffindor Harry stared, unblinking.

"Well, in my world I was saved from the rubble by a friend of mothers who raised me in the wizarding world. Her name was Sophie Datrius, she kept me sane and helped me become the person I am today. When I was sorted into Slytherin she was a little surprised, but it doesn't matter now, she died a long time ago." Harry stopped peeking out as he heard someone enter. It was an injured student and he wondered what they had been doing out so late. Still, he ignored them, he knew that the Matron wouldn't show anyone that there was a Harry that was in the hospital so he was safe for a while.

Sighing he lifted the right arm sleeve of his robes, revealing the dark tattoo that he hated with a passion. "I have been working as a spy since my third year, at first just in Slytherin to find out what was happening, but eventually I was recruited as a Death Eater. I have learned that you were somehow able to rid yourself of Voldemort finally and I need to know how you did that."

Coughing slightly, the Gryffindor Harry tried to sit up. Harry allowed it, he wasn't worried because his twin had no wand.

"There's a spell," The Gryffindor Harry finally whispered. "He made himself immortal with a very ancient ritual and there's a spell that will break the immortality. You have to use it on him before you can kill him," he said coughing again. Harry poured some water into a glass and offered it to the Gryffindor.

"So you have to kill him after the spell has been used... Just any normal death, or something in particular?"

The Gryffindor looked at him slightly abashed. "You would do anything to him, wouldn't you?" he asked quietly.

Harry nodded, after everything he'd seen and been forced to do he wouldn't ever worry about how he killed Voldemort. "You were saved from dealing with some of the most horrid things imaginable because you grew up with your aunt and uncle. I can't imagine ever living with them, but then I can't imagine being a Gryffindor either. I have seen torture that would make you want to kill yourself, there are things that will haunt me forever. Voldemort doesn't deserve death, he deserves eternal torture, but death will suffice."

The Gryffindor looked slightly angry. "My Aunt and Uncle hated me," he spat.

Harry glazed a few thoughts that had topped the Gryffindors head and smiled. "Living in a cupboard, not having any friends? You really don't understand how horrible my life's been since Sophie died."

Carefully Harry wove a spell that would help show his twin some of the memories he'd had to endure, starting with how Sophie had died. Reaching out gently, Harry tapped his twins head with a wand and there was a jolt as if entering a Pensieve. This however, was not a Pensieve and the memories flashed by at such a quick pace that Harry had to close his eyes. He hated seeing his memories, but he'd learned to deal with them.

When he opened his eyes again it was to see the Gryffindor Harry leaning over the side of his bed, retching. "That is such a beautiful picture," Harry said sarcastically.

"They tortured her," Gryffindor Harry said quietly, "while you his in the vent. You saw it all... even... even when they..."

"Yes, well what's happened has happened. It was a good thing that the Death Eaters did not know I was there at the time, because they wouldn't have trusted me in any way otherwise and I wouldn't be the Death Eater I am today." Harry said mockingly. He hated to be reminded of watching Sophie raped just before she was murdered. Only three living people knew what he'd seen and the other two never had the guts to bring it up again.

"How did you get here?" The Gryffindor asked, obviously wanting to change the topic as well.

When Harry spoke his words were chosen carefully, he didn't want to reveal too much about his coming because he didn't want other to end up in different worlds were they were a different person. This Gryffindor might be just the sort to do it too, that Gryffindor Courage and Stupidity was always going to be the same, no matter which world they were in.

"According to what I've been able to discover I was put in contact with a potion that bridges worlds. I do not understand why it was done to me, but I will discover how it was done and return to my world as soon as I have the ability to destroy Voldemort."

The Gryffindor Harry nodded and Harry slipped off his topmost thoughts. Somehow the Gryffindor was beginning to trust him, Harry almost smirked, but hid the emotion on his face. It was so like a Gryffindor to so easily fall into trusting someone. At least it was a good chance to use that trust.

"Why did you kill Malfoy in your world?" The Gryffindor asked.

Smirking finally Harry looked straight into his twins eyes. "Do you know that Lucius is your uncle?" The reaction to the question almost brought tears of laughter to Harry's eyes. "Not quite the loving uncle is he? Well, they're only half-related, same father. Grandmother never married, but she was Sephelis Malfoy's mistress and had a child from the relationship. Of course it was rather a bad thing to be a bastard child so it was never discussed. Both of the families knew of the truth, but the story never went any further than that."

"In my world Draco knew it, he even had the pluck to use it against me. We were adversaries in Slytherin, always vying for the same position within the monarchy, though I do think he would have made an excellent potentate, he never wanted the position. Well, during my fifth year he tried to use a potion which involved my blood to put me into his permanent servitude. It worked; fortunately he wasn't smart enough to order me not to kill him, the only way to break the bond he'd created. Not long after that I was asked to be a Death Eater. I have come to believe that someone was testing us – trying to see which of us was the strongest."

"You just killed him?" The Gryffindor asked.

"It was a little more complicated than that," Harry said quietly. "He ordered me to submit to something I would not do, and when I fought off the order he raised his wand against me, trying to force me to do it. I attacked him with a banishing charm and injured him seriously. When help arrived he was dead. The incident was ruled an accident and I was declared faultless before the Wizengamot."

"Sounds like something I might do," a slick voice said and Harry turned to find three wands pointed at him. He noticed that there was no noise beyond, not even the slightest sound and he understood the mistake he'd made. Someone had realized that he was there and had but a second silencing charm to keep those inside from hearing what was going on outside the curtain.

"So how is it that such an upstanding Gryffindor got put into the Slytherin house?" Draco asked, not even trying to mask the anger he was feeling that the Harry twin had revealed the secret he'd been keeping.

"Why is it that the Malfoy's always seem to slip out of the most difficult situations?" Harry retorted. He was pulling thoughts off the top of Draco's head and using them to his own advantage. "Like fifth year at the Ministry, or second year when he let the basilisk loose on the school. Or even last year during the last stand fiasco."

Malfoy turned so pale that the ghosts might have been awestruck. No one had known about that, no one but his father and the minister (who was now dead).

"Come on Draco, you can't hide things like that from me." Harry snapped, feeling the power of being in control. This world was weak, everyone he knew was so much weaker than they'd been in his world, it was infuriating that they'd been able to destroy Voldemort.

The wands slashed forward almost in synch and Harry rolled over his twin in an instant, avoiding two of the three curses. Luckily the shield he'd erected while he'd bantered and the curse was absorbed in it with little more than a shiver passing through Harry.

The first two curses were not so powerful, but they were sufficient to blow a hole in the wall of the hospital. Someone yelled for help and Harry dived out of the curtain as more curses headed his way. The matron, whom Harry still didn't know, yelled something about curses in the hospital, but Harry ignored it, pushing himself back to his feet as the curses buzzed past his ear, too close for comfort.

He snapped his wand up, putting up a shield as more curses were flying his way. One of the rebounding curses hit the matron and she screamed again before fainting dead away. _"Imperio!" _Harry shouted, hoping that the sound charms that had been erected would keep them from realizing what curse he was using. He couldn't hear the ones they used. The curtain flipped up as Draco walked right into the oncoming curse.

Draco stopped, completely stilled and Harry smiled. _You will submit,_ he whispered into Draco's mind. _Tell your thugs to stop fighting and take their wands._

For a moment Harry was unsure if this Draco could fight off the Imperius, he seemed strained, but Harry repeated himself again and Draco suddenly did his bidding.

"Good," Harry said aloud after Draco had collected the other two wands. _Bring them here,_ he whispered in Draco's mind and held his wand up in case Draco was only obeying what he wanted, he'd seen such fine control of the Imperius curse before, but only in two others.

It seemed Draco was not in control because he stepped forward holding the wands in an unusable manner, offering them to Harry. Once Harry had relieved Draco of the wands he stared at Draco, concentrating as much as he could on the idea he was imputing into Draco's head. _Go out in the lake and swim to the middle, wait there._

Nodding, Draco started out the door and Harry glanced at the two thugs who'd accompanied Draco. _Tell Crabbe and Goyle to come with you_, he added.

"Crabbe, Goyle," Malfoy said stiffly as he left the room. The two hunkered along, confused at what was going on, but not saying anything like the stupid lugs they were.

Harry turned back to his twin, raising his wand. "Obliviate," he said softly, not wanting anyone to have actually seen him using an unforgivable – the slightest chance of him figuring out what was going on was too much. He doubted that the penalty was any different even though they were on a separate world.

Gryffindor Harry stared at him, eyes blank, and then he shook his head looking around. "How you get them to leave?" he asked when he noticed that the three were gone, he remembered that Draco had started a fight, and figured he must have gotten hit with a stray curse.

The wands pocketed and out of sight Harry grinned. "There are a few curses that get through even thick heads like his," he said, forcing a soft laugh. He was in complete control of his outward emotions even though he was furious with himself for letting the two get the best of him. "Help me fix everything up?" he asked, then glanced to the matron who was still unconscious. "I think it'd be best if no one knew what happened in here."

After retrieving his twin's wand from the place he'd seen Albus place it he offered it to his twin, and released the straps that had been wrapped around him.

"You know," The Gryffindor Harry said. "I could just curse you in your back and tell everyone that you're really a Death Eater, the tattoo would be enough to convince them."

Harry laughed as he started to repair the wall, his back facing his Gryffindor twin, he'd taken off the topmost thoughts from the twin and knew that even though he was warning, he was just trying to get a rise out of Harry.

"I could," the twin said again, but obviously not meaning it.

"Just help me get this straightened out," Harry said, moving to the three tables that had been blown to the ground. "I'm sorry for putting the confounding curse on you earlier, but I really didn't know what was happening and it was my only option to keep from being discovered. Self preservation and all that..."

"I understand," the twin said and repaired one of the other beds.

After the room had been completely fixed up Harry walked around, finding the student who'd been bedridden. He was asleep, and after going through the thoughts at the top of his head, Harry knew he'd been given a sleeping potion and had slept through the whole thing. Both Harry's found themselves standing over the matron then, and Harry looked into his twins eyes, noticing that his eyes were pure green, while his own has a tiny sliver of brown that went straight up in his left eye, it was barely noticeable unless someone stared which happened rarely anymore.

"Obliviate her?" the twin asked, thinking the same thing that Harry was. It was odd that even though they'd had such different life's they could think the exact thought. Harry just preferred to keep his thoughts to himself.

Nodding, Harry raised his wand, charming the woman's memory so she would not remember anything that happened. "Think we should let her wake on her own?" The twin asked, watching her. Both knew there wasn't a very good reason they could give her as to why she was laying on the floor, and it was probably better if she woke up alone and there was nothing wrong with the room, that way she'd figure out an explanation by herself.

"She's going to see you gone and might think it was your fault," Harry said, looking down at her and then glancing over to his doppelganger. "It won't be a good thing when the castle goes up on alert because there are two of us."

"Your wand Holley, Phoenix Feather core?" Harry nodded, wondering why.

"Mine too," the twin said, wonder how they'll react with one another. "Brother Wands have a peculiar reaction to one another, but I bet if twin wands were used they'd make things even more powerful."

"Yeah, maybe," Harry said, still trying to figure out what his twin was thinking. He knew about brother wands, but he'd never seen them used in conjunction or against one another, so he was interested in what it was the Gryffindor was thinking.

"Well, I can make a duplicate of myself," the twin said. "It's never very strong though, it usually only lasts an hour or two. But, if we did the spell together I think that it'd work for longer.

Harry nodded, even more curious to see the results of doing the spell. "Alright then, you show me how it's done and then we'll do it."

•


End file.
